Snetter’s efforts promote professional excellence, protect citizens and communities
Christine Snetter, an architect with Jefferson Lab’s Facilities Management and Logistics department, was recently appointed to a second four-year term on the Virginia Board for Architects, Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, Certified Interior Designers and Landscape Architects (APELSCIDLA).
Then-Governor Terry McAuliffe announced the appointment in July 2017. Snetter was initially appointed to the Board in 2013, and will be sworn in again this spring for the second term. The first meeting of the Board will take place on March 20, 2018, in Richmond.
Over the years, Snetter has served on a number of professional boards, including the Hampton Roads American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Virginia State AIA. Through APELSCIDLA, she has also served on committees for the National Council of Architectural Registration Board.
The APELSCIDA is part of the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation. The primary responsibility of the Board is to protect the public by establishing requirements to ensure minimum competence (i.e., education, experience, examination) and standards of conduct for certain professions and occupations, as determined by the General Assembly.
The Board protects the public by investigating complaints and ensuring that regulated professions are compliant with state law and regulations. Its core objectives include promoting a positive business climate, ensuring a competent workforce, and providing customer service.
“My work at Jefferson Lab reminds me daily of the need for regulations that benefit the profession and the public,” Snetter says. “Working in an organization that is highly focused on the safety and health of its workers and the public makes me very aware of the importance of regulations and guidelines. And when done properly, steers people in the right direction and benefits everyone.”
“I believe that an active regulation board helps bring more respect to the profession,” Snetter adds. “APELSCIDLA is vital to ensuring that the profession and the public are protected against false practitioners, and to rewarding those that uplift the profession by solving some of the world’s greatest problems and making a real difference in people’s lives. “
“And,” she says, “people want to know that when they hire an architect, they are getting what they have paid for.”
“I am committed to the fundamental values of the APELSCIDLA, which includes the need to promote highly qualified professionals that recognize the need to retain public respect for the profession,” Snetter shares. “I love being able to collaborate with my peers in backing an organization that promotes excellence and control criteria. I am delighted to be able to contribute to the goals of the organization, enriching the lives of our citizens and communities and protecting the profession. This exposure enables me to have a voice in making a difference in the livable conditions of our communities.”